


A Twist of Fate

by asiacore



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, Anxiety, Depression, F/M, Heartbreak, M/M, Pining, Polyamory, Resolved Sexual Tension, girl!Harry, girl!Niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-06-06
Packaged: 2018-04-03 02:10:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4082671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asiacore/pseuds/asiacore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Zayn fucks off back to Bradford for good, Louis takes it personally, so Harry and Liam make it their responsibility to cheer their friend up...but then feelings happen along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Twist of Fate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ohnoscarlett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohnoscarlett/gifts).



> this is probably tons angstier than you originally planned it to be, but that's to be expected whenever i get hands on a prompt. this is a non famous au where both harry and niall are cis girls are louis and liam are themselves. the zouis in this is only hinted at, its all in the past and off camera so hopefully that's ok. 
> 
> i'm the busiest bean alive and this hasn't been beta'd so all mistakes are mine. please don't share this fic with anyone who is in or is affiliated with someone in this fic. enjoy!

The Rogue is the exact kind of band Harry used to be in when she was younger. She had dreams of them becoming a famous girl fronted band, she even fancied herself a bit like Hayley Williams from Paramore. But, well, she’s got mousy brown curls unlike Hayley’s firey orange hair and back then their drummer, Will, went and got his girlfriend pregnant and their guitarist, Haydn, turned out to be double crossing them the whole time with a rival band and needless to say they went on an indefinite hiatus after that. She doesn’t talk to Haydn at all anymore, and not much to Will either, but she did send baby Lily a card for her birthday last year and got a cute family photo in return that is sat on her makeshift coffee table next to her journal full of unfinished songs and a stack of empty paper coffee cups.

Harry isn’t in The Rogue though and those songs in her tattered brown leather journal haven't been touched in just as long since she dusted the cobwebs off her old secondhand acoustic guitar she got for her 15th birthday, but listening to their front man, Louis, croon makes her want to change that. Harry loves working Thursdays because Thursdays mean Louis. She thinks that Louis is probably the guy she imagined up in her pre teen day dreams come true. He’s got feathery brown hair that he’s been growing out a bit longer as of late and sun kissed skin riddled with a sea of tattoos that she’d like to think all match her own. Because hello? Really, ship meet compass and hey, rope here’s an anchor. Louis’ also got a chest piece that says “It Is What It Is” and she often gets lost in thought wondering what it’d be like to taste the ink between the dips of his collarbones.

Niall comes bustling in the large wooden door of the pub Harry works at letting in the cold winter air and shouts a greeting. “Hey barmaid!” She takes off her wool cap and ruffles her short blonde hair before flopping down on a stool in front of Harry. “You being all creepy and obsessive today?”

“Shut up,” Harry blushes and throws the the towel she was wiping the same part of the counter over and over with in Niall’s face. She said it low enough that Louis couldn’t hear her on stage, and everyone around them is more or less entranced with the band performing but Harry’s still embarrassed. “Why d’you come here on your days off anyway?”

“‘M s’posed to be meeting Liam here after class, for your information.” Niall reaches over the counter and pours herself a pint from the tap. “You’re an awful barmaid, by the way.” She sticks her tongue out at Harry and winks when she frowns at her as if Niall knows what’s coming.

Harry scoffs. “Well if you hadn’t got me fired from the bakery I would-”

“Say it a little louder Haz, I don’t think the blokes in the back heard ya. You used to be a baker right?” Niall shouts and she flips several people the bird when they shush her. Harry doesn’t feel bad though, she brought this upon herself.

“Why don’t you and Liam meet up at home? You are flatmates after all.” Harry eyes the awful ring Niall’s drink has left on the counter until she sighs and wipes it up.

“Well you know Leemo’s a lot like you.” Niall says as she grabs a beermat for Harry’s sake. “He’s got a horrible grade school crush on Lou.”

Harry shakes her head and dries her hand on a towel she had draped over her shoulder. “You’re paying for that.” She frowns at Niall but she just shrugs and tells Harry to put it on her tab.

They met in the mens room last year. Harry was cleaning the toilets when Louis barged in, nearly hitting her in the face with the door. “Oops!” she giggled, head bowed and lips curled. “Hi,” Louis smiled, he was drunk off his arse and stumbling everywhere. He seemed to not mind that Harry was in the wrong room or the “CLEANING IN PROGRESS” sign she had put on the door either.

Harry gave him the once over. He had a head full of wispy brown hair that kept falling in his eyes when he grinned over at Harry and a raggedy old Stones tee. His jeans were ripped at the knees and rolled up at the ankles showing off his “The Rogue” tattoo and his feet were tucked into a pair of beat up Vans. Harry was instantly charmed. Little did she know he’d end up being one of her best mates.

She’s broken out of reverie when Liam slides into the stool next to Niall. He’s got snow in his hair and he looks impossibly cold bundled in a jumper and overcoat, but he’s grinning at Harry and she lowers her head, she knows what he’s about to do before he does it. Harry’s got a spot on the crown of her head when touched she absolutely melts. Ever since Liam found out whenever he sees her in greeting he scritches his hand through her hair starting at the top of her head and she purrs like a cat. Don’t tell anyone but Liam is her favorite.

“Hey,” he smiles at them and ducks out of the way just in time to miss a noogie from Niall. “How much have I missed?”

“Not much,” Harry shrugs and gets Liam a coke and rum. “They’re only about three songs in.” She tells him, back turned to the bar but she knows he’s beaming.

Liam ruffles some snow out of his hair and lets out a relieved breath. “Good,” he swivels around in his seat and leans back, smile still bright on his face. “This is my favorite song.”

“They’re all your favorite-”

“Shut up Niall.” Both Harry and Liam say in unison, they share a look and a fistbump before falling into a fit of giggles. Niall just shrugs and throws back her drink.

“Love!” She bellows. “I’ll never get it.”

-

“So how was it? And don’t sugar coat it, tell me the truth. Was I completely awful?”

Harry gasps. “No-no of course!”

“You were amazing!” Liam grins from where he’s sat on the other side of Niall.

“Groupies.” Niall rolls her eyes and smacks the bar, her signal that she wants another drink. Harry busies herself pouring Niall another pint while listening to them go at it.

“It just hasn’t been the same since Zayn left, you know.” Louis pulls at a loose thread on the collar of his shirt. “I mean he’s- or I guess he was my best mate, and then he just up and left with not even so much as a note on the kitchen counter like, ‘Hey mate I’ve gone to fuck off and follow my dreams of becoming a male stripper’ or whatever or wherever he’s gone to.”

“Yeah that drummer you’ve got now is bollocks.” Niall takes a swig of the beer Harry’s just placed in front of her. “What? We were all thinking it.”

“Actually we weren’t.” Liam corrects him. “You lot are just as brilliant now as you were the day I first heard you.”

“Ouch, Payno, you could’ve just said we suck.” Louis reaches over Niall to pinch Liam and Harry thinks he only made it because Liam felt bad and let him.

Liam frowns. He’s gone one of those big sad looks on his face when he backtracks. “You know I didn’t mean it like that,” he looks to Harry for help. “Harry tell him how great he is.”

“Best singer and footie captain on this side of London, I suppose.” Harry slides Liam another coke and rum, since that’s all he’ll drink on a school night.

Louis scoffs. “Well now I’m sure you’re taking the piss.”

“I’m not I swear-”

“I know, I know. You two and my mum are my biggest fans you know.” Louis steals Niall’s drink. “Not even Lottie thinks I’m cool anymore.”

-

Later on after tabs are paid and everyone’s gone, Liam’s dragging Niall out by the cap on her head, the band is packing their things and Harry’s out back dumping the rubbish. She spots Louis sitting on the back of their van, not helping as usual, legs dangling with a morose look on his face and a smoke between his lips. He spots Harry looking at him and sends her a wink so she uses that as her cue to come over.

“You alright?”

Louis shrugs. “Not really,” he blows out a ring of smoke and grins, proud of himself. “Zayn taught me how to do that, you know.”

The elephant in the room, the one subject Louis won’t talk about. Well, not until now. “Zayn?” Harry leans back against the door of the van. “What happened with Zayn, by the way?”

“You know about as much as I do.” Louis shrugs. “I wake up one day to a cold bed, and Zayn never wakes up before I do. Hell, Zayn never wakes up before noon, but I never thought anything of it. He sends me a text, this is the kicker listen, so he sends me a text saying he’s been stressed lately and and wants to spend some time at home with his mum and sisters. But then, and this is the best part, then he never comes back. His mum, his fucking mum Haz, she calls me and tells me he’s not coming back. That’s it. No rhyme or reason to it, and we’ve not spoken since.”

“Were you two-” Harry traces the anchor on her arm. “You know, together?”

Louis is silent for a while finishing off his cigarette and drops it on the concrete. He hops down and and stubs it out with the toe of his shoe. “We never labelled things.” He shrugs and pulls at the string of his jumper. “He was just my best mate. We met our first year of uni, we were both skiving off class and went for a smoke behind the science building. The rest is history I reckon.”

-

Harry knocks continuously on Niall and Liam’s door until it swings open and she nearly falls inside. “What is the meaning of all this noise?” Niall asks, her face covered in green gunk with a headset hanging around her neck. “I was in the middle of a very important conference.”

“Translation, she was playing xbox.” Liam comes downstairs towelling his wet hair. He’s fresh out of the shower, shirtless and Harry can’t help but stare blankly when he beckons her inside and drops his towel on the kitchen counter.

“Ok,” Harry nods, “but why is there guacamole on her face?” She closes the door behind herself and follows him into the kitchen. “She looks like an entire avocado died on her face.”

“Ok first of all she is right here. Secondly, you don’t think I was born with smooth, baby soft skin, do you?” Niall looks at her incredulously. “And it’s not guacamole it’s a green apple mask.”

“It tastes pretty good too,” Liam dips his finger in the bowl on the counter and licks it. “You wanna try?” He dips another finger back in the mix and Harry takes it into her mouth. Liam’s right, it is pretty good, but he’s staring at her with his finger in her mouth and she’s starting to think maybe he didn’t mean eat it right off of his hand.

Niall looks between the two of them with a look on her face as if she knows what just happened, which is great because then she can tell Harry. Liam’s breathing hard, his chest moving up and down in short staccato huffs in unison with the beat of Harry’s heart. She goes to apologize, or just say something to fill the silence when Niall shakes her head.

“I knew you were eating my mask, Liam.” Niall points an accusatory finger at Liam, dutifully changing the subject. “And what are you doing here this late?” She turns to Harry. “Not that I don’t enjoy you stopping by. But I doubt you came here to suck Liam off”

Harry can feel herself get hot and probably bright red too. She tucks a piece of hair behind her hair and shrugs. “It’s about Louis.”

“And I’m out.” Niall grabs her bowl of homemade face food and rushes out of the kitchen.

Harry licks her lips and looks at Liam who is looking at her. He watches her tongue dart in and out of her mouth and Harry shutters. “What about Louis?” Liam says after a moment. He pulls out a seat and sits at the kitchen counter. “Is he alright? Did he say anything to you?”

“No, I mean, yes, well… It’s complicated.” Harry steals a banana from the fruit bowl and flops down on the stool beside Liam. If he’s going to try and be normal about this she should too. “I think Zayn leaving really messed him up you know.”

“Yeah, I could tell.” Liam nods. “He hasn’t been himself. Like, usually, you know, he’s such a little shit and I hate it. But now he’s just like...not the same you know he just sits around and sings his sad songs and tries to drink Niall under the table. I kinda miss the old Tommo you know.”

“Right, so I think its up to us to cheer him up you know. I mean its obvious we both care about him a lot and he’s a really good friend and I just-”

“I agree, let’s do it.” Liam stops her. “I’m down 100% just tell me what to do.”

Harry jumps up excitedly and grabs the dry erase board and marker Niall and Liam keep on the side of the refrigerator to make grocery lists, even though whenever Louis and Harry are over he just draws a bunch of dicks on it and she draws hearts. She can feel Liam’s eyes watching her as she moves across the kitchen but goes ahead and uncaps the marker anyway and pops the top in her mouth before sliding back in her seat next to Liam. “Okay, here’s the gameplan…”

-

It’s a rare occasion that both Harry and Niall get the same day off considering they’re the only two bartenders at the seedy little pub they work at, but its a holiday and they're going to take advantage of it.

The four of them are all at the park together. It's all a part of Harry and Liam's grand plan to cheer Louis up and Niall couldn't care less but she's always down for a pickup game of footie.

It's girls vs boys or let Louis tell it shirts vs skins. "That's not necessary you know." Harry tries not to ogle when Louis shucks his shirt off. He jogs over and slides an arm around Harry’s shoulders, eyebrows waggling.

"I mean if you two want to be skins that's fine by me as well but-"

Niall takes off the jumper she’s wearing and throws it in Louis’ face. "There is no way in hell that's ever going to happen."

"Anyway I'm not doing this for you I just wanted to see what Liam looks like with his kit off." Louis grins and dumps his shirt and Niall’s jumper on the grass by their bags.

"You could've asked me out on a date first." Liam blushes but pulls his shirt off over his head anyway. Harry and Louis share a look, and Harry doesn’t know what it means but she knows its about Liam.

Niall grabs her good knee and pulls it up to her chest in a stretch. "Are we gonna stand around and admire Liam's abs all day or are we going to play some football?"

Harry and Louis both watch as Liam bends over to tie his shoe and Louis elbows her in the side. "I don't know Niall I'm kinda liking the view from here..."

"Do it on your own time Tommo lets go." Niall blows a whistle that Harry didn’t even know she owns and makes her jump. Harry’s distracted by Liam bent over, the long lines of his back and his strong arms.

Louis smacks Harry on the bum and Liam too, but Niall evades before he can get to her. Harry’s never been good at football, always more the cheerleader or sit to the side and keep score type. She’s got Niall on her team though which is great because Niall can basically do all of the work while Harry stand around and waits for a goal to block.

It turns out she can’t even do that and they lose as expected, but Harry still feels like she let Niall down. Niall’s stripped off down to her bra and shorts and she’s laying face down in a patch of dirt but Harry hasn’t got the heart to tell her. Louis is gloating in typical Louis like fashion dancing and shouting in circles around Niall until she reaches out and yanks his foot so he falls in a heap on top of her.

Niall flips them over so she’s got him pinned down, legs on either side of him while she tickles him mercilessly. Louis absolutely hates being tickled and Niall’s sitting on his arms so he has no way of escape. He’s screaming for help but Harry’s having too much fun watching him struggle and Niall would never let Harry live it down if she sided with him.

“Liam! Liam, help me!” Louis cries and Liam looks undecided. “Please!”

Liam breaks and hauls Niall up by her waist. “Alright now enough of that.” He says in his stern teacher voice and Harry shudders. She feels like she’s in a movie when Liam throws Niall over his back like a caveman and everything starts moving in slow motion. His back muscles flex and biceps ripple when he places her on the ground and holds a hand out for Louis. He’s covered in a sheen of sweat and when he pulls Louis up and their bare chests bump everything stops.

Louis tilts his head up, lips parted and Harry thinks for a brief second that he’s going to kiss Liam when Niall clears her throat. “This is getting too skinemax for me.” She squeezes her water bottle over the both of them and Harry’s knees seize. “Time to cool off lads.”  
  


Harry sits down on the ground cross legged and buries her face in the hem of her shirt. What has she gotten herself into?

-

Louis’ got one foot in Harry’s lap and the other hanging over the edge of her secondhand sofa. His feet stink and there are holes in his sock she keeps sticking her fingers in despite his protests and constant wiggling. They’re watching old episodes of The X Factor and Louis sighs.

“Alright then,” Harry squeezes his ankle. “That’s the fifth time you’ve sighed in twenty minutes, do you wanna talk about it?”

He slides his foot out of her grasp and off of her lap. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He rolls over and right off the sofa, face down into the carpet. “I think I’m going to die.”

Harry scooches down onto the floor next to him and lies her head back on the sofa. “Is this about Zayn?”

“Zayn used to love The X Factor you know, tried to get us to audition a couple years ago but I punked out last minute and we went to McDonalds instead and hotboxed in the bathroom until we got kicked out.” He laughs bitterly. “It’s stupid you know, I’m sitting here hung up over him and he’s probably forgotten all about me. I can’t believe he just left like this and I can’t believe I let him.”

“Louis none of this is your fault, you know that right?” She puts a hand at the center of his back. “You couldn’t have stopped him even if he had told you he was leaving. If that’s what he really wanted to do, he would’ve left regardless.”

“But I didn’t even try.”

“You couldn’t Louis, he didn’t give you that choice.” Harry pulls him up by the collar of his shirt and forces Louis to look at her. “Listen, its better off this way. If Zayn was unhappy, he’s doing what is best for him now and if you guys were destined to be together again he’ll come back to you. I promise.” Harry is a strong believer in fate and that everything happens for a reason. It’s something her mother instilled in her when she was young and her parents divorce shook their household. It’s something she’s clung to since then, and always will.

Harry has never seen Louis vulnerable like this. They’ve been friends for a while now, and she’e been admiring him from afar even longer, but she’s never encountered this side of Louis before. He’s usually got this wall up, Harry’s learned. Louis’ the suffering type, willing to take on the burden of everyone he cares for himself and she appreciates that in him but just this time she needs for him to let go.

“Louis-” she’s cut off when he surges forward and kisses her square on the lips. Harry has kissed Louis before, she’s kissed him on the cheek and forehead, and even a couple times on the lips when they were both pissed. But this time its different. Its so cliche. Brokenhearted boy seeks comfort from in her case a deliriously in love girl, and she’s more than okay with it.

He pulls away, eyes wide and lips wet. “I’m sorry,” he seems genuinely shocked and Harry is almost sad about it.

“Don’t be Louis,” she cups his cheek, “this is what you needed, and that’s okay.” Louis nods and kisses her again. It’s slower this time, deeper than before and Harry starts to lose herself in it when there’s a knock on the door. “That’s probably Liam,” she pulls away and rests her forehead against his.”

“Right,” Louis stands up and straightens himself out. “I’ll get it.” He rushes over to the door as Harry tries to right herself and make it seem like they weren’t just snogging on the floor in the middle of her living room.

This was not a part of the plan.

-

Harry’s spinning around in the wobbly chair at the bar that she was meant to fix ages ago while Niall stares precariously at her from behind the bar. “If we snogged, would you call me back afterward?”

Niall stops what she’s doing, which is nothing because she’s awful at her job, and grabs Harry’s hand. “Look, I might be a lesbian, but I’ve got standards, babe.”

“Don’t be a bitch about it,” Harry snatches her hand away and moves to leave but Niall grabs her again. “I’m serious Niall.”

“Well I mean, of course Harry.” Niall gets a napkin for the tears that sneakily started streaking down Harry’s face. “All jokes aside, you’re well fit and you seem like a decent lay.” She winks. “We’re mates  though so I’m obligated to say all these nice things to you. Why, what happened?”

“It’s just…” Harry hesitates. “Louis and I-”

“Oh my god!” Niall shrieks. “You and Louis? Louis Tomlinson? That major loser who performs here every week? That Louis? The Louis you’ve pining after for months now?”

Harry huffs and rolls her eyes. “Yes Niall, what other Louis do we know?”

“You guys did it, didn’t you?” Niall cackles and starts make a bright green drink. “Wow I was so sure he was gay, like 100%. You know I’ve got a gaydar for things like this.”

“Well even if a gaydar was a real thing, which it isn’t by the way, you’re wrong and we didn’t have sex. We just kinda snogged for a bit, but then Liam came and we didn’t tell him about it and Louis hasn’t called since or answered any of my texts.”

“Typical boy behavior.” Niall shrugs and sets a glass down in front of Harry. “Appletini, your favorite, on the house. I find its better to just drink my problems away and let the cards fall where they may. Louis’ a dick anyway.”

“That sounds like an awful idea.” Harry scowls but downs the drink anyway. “Keep ‘em coming.” Just when Niall hands her another drink exactly what Harry expected to happen, happens.

“Well look who it is…” Niall groans. “The devil himself.”

Liam and Louis walk in, Louis all but dragging Liam and shouting something excitedly into the alleyway behind him. “Louis’ already drunk.” Liam says with a somber look on his face. “He’s been dragging me around to different pubs all day.”

Louis smacks in the arm and frowns. “That’s the point of a pub crawl, Payno!” He points an accusatory thumb at him. “This guy, am I right?”

“You are so completely pissed,” Niall cackles, short and bitter. “I’m not serving you a drop of alcohol mate. But you can have all the water and chips you can handle.” Harry thinks maybe she’s gotten Niall a little upset at Louis judging by the way she’s eyeing the way he’s hanging off of Liam.

“I told you this was a bad idea,” Louis covers his mouth and stage whispers to Liam. “We shouldn’t have come here.” He hops up onto the stool next to Harry and lays his head down on the bar.

“I told you this wasn’t a good idea Louis. You’re the one who insisted we come here.” Liam shakes his head and sits down on the other side of Harry. He turns to her and speaks low enough that only she can hear him. “He’s a mess, Haz.”

Harry nods. She knows this, and she’s aware that she’s probably a big part of the reason why he’s such a mess. A really big worrisome part of Harry knows that she should probably tell Liam what happened, but all she can do right now is accept the drink Niall puts in front of her and try not to lean too much into the warmth of Louis on her opposite side.

“Need a drink?” Niall asks Liam and he nods. “Rough day with the kiddies?”

Liam sighs and shrugs off his coat. He settles down with a hand in Harry’s hair and she hums appreciatively. Liam always knows what Harry needs before she does. “Desta’s mum tried hitting on me again today. She wanted to demonstrate the importance of CPR to the students and wanted to practise on me.”

“Who takes swimming courses in the middle of winter anyway?” Louis yells from where his head is currently smushed against Harry’s arm.

“Um, people who need to learn how to swim?” Niall says obviously. “Stop taking the piss out of Liam’s. What do you do again, anyway? Sing or something?”

“Hey,” Harry warns her with no heat behind it. Its hard to be intimidating when she can feel Liam petting her like a house cat and the rise and fall of Louis’ short intakes of breath. “Don’t be rude Niall.”

“It’s alright,” Louis waves her away. “She’s right anyway, we’re pants without Zayn.”

“You were awful with him anyway.” Niall slaps a bottle of water down in front of Louis. “But you need to get over yourself and all three of you need to stop feeling sorry for yourselves and get together.”

“What?” Harry, Liam, and Louis all say in unison. Liam nearly spits out his drink, Harry almost falls out of her seat, and Louis’ head snaps up so quick he has to grab on to Harry to settle himself.

“What did you just say?” Louis asks. He squeezes Harry’s arm in an attempt to steady himself and even though he’s still not said anything to her yet she helps him sit up properly with a hand on his back.

“I said get it together.” Niall rolls her eyes with her hands on her hips like she’s just about done with their shit. “You guys are a mess. I feel like I’m in the middle of a soap opera watching you three run around each other in circles.”

“I heard something else,” Liam sighs and his shoulders sag forward like he’s relieved and Harry feels the same way.

“Me too,” Louis nods and maybe what Niall said wasn’t an accident.

But she just shakes her head pityingly at them. “You’re all crazy.”

-

“I kissed Louis.” Harry blurts out as soon as she sees Liam. She agreed to meet him at his school after class to talk shop about the Louis situation, but the guilt of kissing him without telling Liam was weighing too heavy on her conscience and she had to get it out.

Liam doesn’t say anything, just blinks and nods like he’s taking it in. Harry thought that telling Liam would help her feel better but Liam’s lack of reaction is just making her feel worse.

“I kissed him and I didn’t tell you and I’m sorry.” She babbles. Just when Liam opens his mouth to say something she grabs the lapels of his coat and pulls him in. Liam instinctively threads his fingers through her hair like he always does and she locks their lips together. “And I’m sorry about that too,” she says after a moment when she pulls away. “I’ve been thinking about doing that for so long.”

“Harry,” Liam pulls her in for a hug and that’s definitely not what she was expecting.

“You hate me now don’t you?” Harry mumbles into the wool of Liam’s thick coat and hides her face deeper in it. Liam smells so good, he smells familiar something she associates with him and something she’s grown to dare she say love.

“Of course not Haz,” Liam rests his hand at the nape of her neck. He tilts her head back and kisses her again. Its slow, long, and languid. Harry even finds herself leaning into it, pushing up onto her tippy toes to get the most out of the kiss. When they pull away this time Liam’s smiling. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time too.”

-

It’s Thursday and Harry’s watching The Rogue set up and studiously ignoring Niall.

“Harry you dog,” Niall winks from her seat at the bar. “I know you didn’t think Liam wouldn’t tell me about that!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Niall cackles. “I know for a fact Liam is, or I guess was, gay yet you somehow managed to get a piece of that.”

“Niall-”

“I mean I don’t blame you. If I was into guys he’d be the only one I’d shag… and maybe Justin Bieber. Imagine that? Me and the Biebs!”

“Only in your wildest dreams.” Louis appears behind Niall scaring both of the girls. Niall nearly spilled her beer and they all know they dodged a bullet there. He grins at Harry, big and bright and she nearly melts right out her skin. “Harold,”

“Shouldn’t you be setting up?” Harry asks and diverts her gaze to his band behind him. This is the first time Louis has spoken directly to her since the incident.

“Nah,” Louis shakes his head and points a thumb at his bandmates. “That’s what they’re here for.”

“So what are you here for?” Niall quips and cackles when Louis squawks indignantly. She goes to give Harry a fistbump, but its intercepted by Louis slapping their hands away.

“So I heard about you and Liam,” Louis turns his attention back to Harry and she freezes. He seems unfazed, completely breezy about the subject and she doesn’t know how to react.

“Word travels fast ‘round here.” He shrugs and Harry knows that’s bullshit.

There’s only four of them and while they’re all pretty open about nearly everything, Harry and Liam have somehow kept their big fat grade school crushes on Louis secret for months now. So she knows there’s no way Liam would’ve told him point blank and risked his future relationship with Louis.

Harry visibly gulps and steadies herself with a hand on the bar. “You don’t mind?”

“Of course not why would I?” Louis says and it hits Harry that everything she feels for Louis is totally not reciprocated. She thought that maybe after they kissed, maybe something changed. But Louis has no emotional connection with her and that kiss was just that. A kiss. “Besides, I kissed him too so that makes us even. Right?”

The entire room is spinning and she wishes she was just being dramatic, but Harry feels like her whole world is crashing around her. “What?”

“Well,” Louis turns away from her. “I’ve got a show to perform, people to please, you know.”

“What people?” Niall snipes and Harry doesn’t even have it in her.

Louis leaves with the flick of his wrist and Harry feels like an idiot. Her legs are shaking and she slams her head down hard on the bar groaning.

“You ok, Harry?” Niall asks but gets up and hops over the bar before she can answer. “Babe, go out back and get some air, ok?” She shoves Harry towards the alley door. “You’re alright Harry, just go calm down, ok?”

Harry nods and moves on autopilot out through the back door. She bursts out into the alley and the chilly evening air calms her down a bit. Harry thinks that maybe she’s having an anxiety attack while she takes in big gulps of air and counts each one out loud.

The door slams open behind her and Harry has half a second where she panics when she’s being shoved against the wall and her visions blurry because she’s started crying and hasn’t realized it, but then she realizes its Louis. He’s got one hand on her waist and another running through her hair. His thumb is rubbing soothing circles into her temple and he’s murmuring calming words into her ear.

“I’m sorry,” Louis coos. He presses warm cheek to her cool and she’s worried about getting him all wet with her tears. “That was a dick move, and I apologize.” He kisses the corner of her mouth and pulls back. “Do you forgive me?”

Harry’s still huffing and sniffling but she nods and tries to smile but it feels more like she’s baring her teeth.

Louis wipes the tears from her face with the sweep of his thumb and tilts his head so their lips brush. “I’m sorry,” he says again, this time into her mouth. “I’ve been so fucked up since Zayn left.”

She nods because she gets it. Harry’s been through her fair share of heartbreak, but she’s never been in love with with someone going through it before. It’s twice as bad she thinks than actually dealing with it herself because all she wants is to make Louis happy. Happy with her. But what if that’s not what he wants?

“Come to my flat tonight.” He tells her. “Tonight after the show, please. Let me make this right.”

Harry nods again because she still can’t talk, but she grabs Louis’ arms and pulls him in closer. She tucks her head into the crook of his neck and tries to breathe him in. His scent reminds her a lot of Liam in the sense that its familiar and warm and lovely as always.

“Ok,” Harry chokes out. It’s all she can say but Lois takes it. Wraps his arms around her and thanks her over and over until one of his band members comes out back and beckons him inside so they can start their set.

When Harry follows him back inside she sees Liam sat at the bar looking worriedly at her with Niall’s matching concerned frown etched onto her face beside him. When she sits down he immediately draws her in and kisses her right on the lips. Harry kisses him back hard, hands grasping on Liam’s knees in front of her. “You’re alright.” Liam tells her in between kisses and she’d be perfectly happy to believe him and continuing snogging him in the middle of the pub, but suddenly Louis’ on the mic clearing his throat and she pulls away.

Louis’ grinning at the both of them when he introduces his band and his smiles stays just as big throughout their first sing so much that Harry finds herself smiling too.

“You’re alright.” Liam says again and Harry thinks she just might be.

-

After the gig is over later that night Harry’s got her head in Liam’s lap while he runs his fingers through her hair. Louis’ gone off to the bathroom and when he comes back he’s got on a loose pair of trackies and his hair’s soft and falling into his eyes more than usual. He flops down on top of the both of them and Harry nearly dodges a bloody nose in the process but giggles anyway.

“Budge up,” he tells her and she scoots further up on the bed until she’s sat next to Liam and then Louis lays himself across the both of their legs. They’re watching Orange Is the New Black on Netflix and its clear Louis is distracted because he keeps squirming around and can’t pay attention. “Ok so don’t freak out.” He flips over and looks them both in the eye.

Liam pauses the program and gives Harry a long look. “I wasn’t freaking out before, but I think I might be now.” Harry nods.

“I’m serious, this is going to sound really weird ok,” Louis bristles. “I’m not taking the piss though, I just want-”

“Spit it out Louis.”

“I wanna suck your dick.”

Liam takes in a sharp breath and Harry’s looking back and forth between the two of them. Objectively speaking, Harry’s pretty sure no amount of forewarning would’ve stopped Liam from freaking out about this. Even Harry’s freaking out a bit.

“Look, look,” Louis shuffles forward. He’s still sitting on their entwined legs so they’ve got no choice but to do as he says. “I think we can do this.”

“I dunno,” Harry says, because Liam still looks like he’s about to run out of there at any given moment. “You know, Liam’s not the casual sex kinda guy.”

“That’s the thing though, I’m not looking for casual sex.” He grabs each of their hands in one of his. “I tried that before, and you guys saw how that went. Friends with benefits is bullshit, and that’s not what I want.”

“What are you saying Louis?” Liam’s fingers are twitching in Louis’ grasp and Harry put her hand over theirs to calm him down.

“I want this, with us.” Louis glances at Harry. “The three of us.” He looks back at Liam. “Think of all the amazing sex we could be having, Liam!”

“Is that all you can think about?” Liam objects and pulls his hand away from theirs. He crosses his arms over his chest and pouts. Harry almost laughs because Liam looks like big upset toddler, but this a serious matter. “We- Harry and I, we’ve been head over heels for you for like, over a year now Louis. If you’re doing this for sex that’s completely selfish of you, and I really don’t want you playing with our emotions more than you already have.”

“It’s more than just sex though.” Louis pleads. “Don’t you get it? I’m saying I want to be with the both of you.”

Harry wants to say something but she can’t choose a side. She sees where Liam’s coming from because they’ve lived through this together. They both know what its like to pine after Louis while he stays completely oblivious to the fact, and they know how awful that feels. But at the same time her heart goes out to Louis. He’s just gone through what probably feels like heartbreak and he’s laying this all out on the line for them. For Harry its less about the journey than it is about the destination.

Louis scooches further up on the bed until he’s in their lap and he kisses Liam. It hits Harry that this is the first time she’s ever seen them kiss, although she’s aware its happened before. Liam loosens up, uncrosses his arms and brings a hand to the back of Louis’ neck. This is hot, watching them snog is on the top of the list of the most pleasing things Harry’s ever seen in her life.

She’s worrying her bottom lip, lost in thought when Louis kisses her next. There’s a whine caught high in her throat and she grips at whatever she can grab which is consequently Liam’s thighs. Their pressed chest to chest and even when Louis fall back Harry follows him. He chuckles into the kiss and Harry finally lets him go only because Liam’s got a hand in her hair right where she likes it and her head lolls back. His mouth is on hers in an instant and Harry’s sure this is where she wants to be for the rest of her life.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Louis says and Harry kicks at his leg until he moves off them. Liam flips Louis over and Harry straddles his waist. Liam follows suit and she kisses him again, bracing herself on Louis chest. “Alright so can we have sex now?”

Liam rolls his eyes but pops the button of Louis’ jeans anyway. “Yeah only if you can get your clothes off yourself.”

-

“How is it that even when I’m not at work you lot have still got me in here mixing drinks?” Harry yells from where she’s bent over the fridge in her kitchen. She’s got one of The Rogue’s songs stuck in her head, a new one actually that she helped write and she preens at the thought.

It took a couple new strings and a little love but Harry’s old guitar is in working condition and Niall’s got it when she walks back into the living room. Louis’s sitting behind his keyboard that has taken up permanent residence in Harry’s flat since they got together, and Liam’s on his MacBook. She shimmies along to the song that they just recorded, its only a demo for Louis’ band but she hums along excitedly with Louis singing the lyrics she just wrote just for him.

_We were meant to be but a twist of fate made it so you had to walk away._

__

She loves the sound of Louis’ voice and knowing that this is a song that she and Liam and Niall helped create makes it all that much better.  

“That sounds amazing.” Harry claps when the song is over. She hands Liam his signature drink, rum and coke, and Niall and Louis each a beer.

“Thanks babe,” Liam smiles and she rewards him with a kiss. “It’s coming along great actually.” He fiddles with different sounds on his laptop and Harry moves to settle down in Louis’ lap.

He wraps his arms around her waist and hooks his chin over her shoulder when she leans back and whispers. “I love the way you sing my words.”

“Disgusting.” Niall spits and glares at them from her spot next to Liam on the couch. She’s got her phone in one hand and her beer in the other with her legs kicked up on Harry’s coffee table.

“Don’t act like I haven’t been sitting over here watching you send naughty messages to your girlfriend, Niall.” Liam says without even looking up from his work and both Louis and Harry lose it.

“Oh my god,” Harry buries her face into Louis’ hair.

“I can’t believe our Nialler is a dirty sexter.” Louis cackles.

“Honestly,” Niall gulps down a swig of beer. “Shut the fuck up.” Her phone starts to ring and she stands up. “I hate you all, and I’m going to take this outside.”

“Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want the neighbors to hear!” Louis yells after her and she flips him off and slams the door behind herself.

Harry and Louis move other to either side of Liam on the couch and Harry rests her head on Liam’s shoulder. The song Liam’s playing ends and Louis shuts Liam’s MacBook. “Hey!” Liam yelps and Harry slides the laptop onto the floor. She grabs him by the short tufts on the back of his head and kisses him hard. “Hey,” he says again.

Louis climbs into Liam’s lap and takes Harry’s place. “I love you,” Louis says, voice low like it always is when he admits something. Its not like this is the first time he’s said it. Louis said I love you the first time Harry and Liam tagged team him, she sucked him dry while Liam ate him out. He’s sad it about a hundred times since then, multiple times a day for no reason at all, but neither of them are complaining.

“I was in a rut,” Louis continues. “I wasn’t feeling like myself. I didn’t want to be in the band anymore, I didn’t want to do anything. But you two changed that. You were the only ones here for me. Even when I felt like I didn’t deserve it, and now I’m back and better than ever.” He stops and tweaks one of Liam’s nipples and then kisses him for his troubles.

“You’re the worst.” Liam murmurs, rubbing at his sore nipple.

Louis cackles. “I just wanted to say thanks, Payno.”

Liam frowns. “Its not that I don’t appreciate your gratitude-”

“Whoa someone's swallowed a dictionary.” Louis cuts Louis off, but Harry effectively shuts him up her own way.

“I love you, but shut up.”

Niall walks in and gags. She pushes Harry and Louis away from another, squeezes herself in between them and shoves Louis off of Liam’ lap. “Not while I’m here you don’t.”

Harry leans in and smacks a wet kiss on Niall’s cheek. “I love you too Niall, but you’ve got to learn to share Liam.”

“What do you mean? I’ve basically had the flat to myself for the past month because he’s always either here or at Louis’. Do you know how many orgies I’ve had since then?”

“Its like I’m learning so much about your freaky side today Niall!” Louis reaches over Liam to bump Niall’s fist. “But do you know how many orgies we’ve had since then?”

“And you ruined it.” Niall glowers at Louis. “You’re a menace I hope you know that.”

“Yeah but he’s ours.” Liam says dreamily and its so cheesy and sentimental and such a Liam thing to say, but Harry loves it. She leans over Niall despite her protests to kiss him again and repeats his sentiment in her head.

_Ours_.

 

**Author's Note:**

> kudos/comments are greatly appreciated
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr](http://liamwayne.tumblr.com/)!


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